Trace-hitcher.



No. 689,|05. Patented Dec. l7 l9fl l.

W. W. MEREDITH.

TRADE HITGHER. [Application 116d July 81. 1901.)

(No Model.)

BX &

THE NORRIS PETER; cc.. PHOTO L|THO., WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

WALTER WILLIAM MEREDITH, OF AKRON, IOIVA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOMATTHEW A. AGNES AND CHARLES H. MAXSON, OF AKRON, IOWA.

TRACE-HITCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 689,105, datedDecember 01- Application filed July 31, 1901. Serial No. 70,355. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWALTER WILLIAM MER- EDITH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Akron, in the county of Plymouth and State ofIowa, have invented a new and Improved Trace-Hitch, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for attaching orhitching traces to whiflietrees; and the object is to provide a devicefor this purpose of simple construction and by means of which a tracemay be quickly attached or released and obviating the necessity offorming eyes in the trace, which has a tendency to weaken it, or toattach tug-eyes to the trace, and, further, by the use of which thetrace may be adjusted as to length without taking up or letting out thesame in the harness.

I will describe a trace-hitch embodying my invention and then point outthe novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front View of a trace-hitch embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a top view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a face View of a camplate employed.

The trace-hitch comprises a base-plate 1, having a rotary motion on ascrew or stem 2, which engages the end of the whiffletree 3. Connectedto the base-plate is a loop comprising the opposite posts 4:, connectedat the outer end by a bar 5. Movable in the loop portion is aclamping-bar 6. This clamping bar has recesses in its ends, in which theposts 4 engage, so that the said clamping bar may slide along said poststo clamp the trace 7 between it and the outer bare. The screw or shank 2passes through the base-plate 1, and secured to its end is a cam-plate8, having opposite cam-lugs 9. These cam-lugs are gradually tapered fromtheir greatest projection to the plate, the inclines being both in thesame direction. The space between the cam-lugs 9 is designed to receivethe clamping-bar 6 when the trace is to be inserted or detached.

In operation when it is desired to attach the trace the yoke is to berotated until the bar 6 passes into the space between the camlugs-thatis, the loop will be given a one quarter turn, bringing the two posts lon a substantially horizontal line. After inserting the trace the loopis to be turned. to its normal or vertical position, as indicated in thedrawings, and during this movement the cam-lugs will force theclamping-bar outward and tightly against the trace. By the use of thisdevice it will be seen that the trace may be readily adjusted as toits'length, and, further, as there are no holes or eyes formed in thetrace it is not weakened.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A trace-hitch, comprising a shank portion, abase-plate mounted to rotate on the shank portion, a loop attached tothe plate, a clamping-bar movable in the loop, and a camplate attachedto the shank and engaging with said bar, the said cam-plate having oppositely-inclined projections, substantially as specified.

2. A trace-hitch, comprising a shank adapted to be engaged with thewhiflietree, a baseplate mounted to rotate on the shank, a loop attachedto the base-plate, and consisting of opposite posts, and aconnecting-bar for said posts, a clamping-bar having recesses in itsends to receive the posts, a plate attached to the shank, and oppositecam projections or lugs on said plate for engaging with theclamping-bar, the space between said projections or lugs beingsufficient to receive the clamping-bar, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER WILLIAM MEREDITH.

Witnesses:

O. J. MORTERUD, E. H. YOUNGSTROM.

